Southside's lack of compliance begs action

Legislation adding specific deadlines for waiver requests would help state officials address the matter of Southside ISD Superintendent Ricardo Vela, who lacks the qualifications to be certified for his job.

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SAN ANTONIO — Four months into a lucrative three-year contract, embattled Southside Independent School Superintendent Ricardo Vela continues to work without the blessings of the Texas Education Agency.

But until the Legislature makes needed changes to the Education Code, there is little the agency charged with oversight of public schools can do to reign in administrators who operate as though the law does not apply to them.

Vela lacks superintendent certification and is obligated by state law to seek a waiver from the TEA, but he appears in no hurry to abide by the rules.

Parents and employees in the district have voiced their concerns to the San Antonio Express-News, but have been unable to express them to the school board. Two months ago, the district stopped allowing citizens to be heard at their regular meetings in violation of the school board's written policy.

TEA officials say Vela's status is a local issue, and they need a formal complaint from a resident of the district to launch an investigation. But many of the people voicing displeasure about the situation in Southside ISD, a school district with only 5,000 students, fear the political fallout if they file a complaint to the state in writing.

The law requiring superintendents lacking the proper credentials to seek waivers does not stipulate a time frame for submitting that form. There really had not been any need to; it has never been an issue before. Most school districts submit them within a month after a superintendent without credentials is hired.

The situation in the Southside ISD would not be of much concern if we were confident Vela would be able to meet the requirements if given some time, but Vela lacks the basic teaching background required of superintendents. Last month, Vela told the Express-News he had completed his student teaching and planned to teach in his district next school year to meet the teaching requirement. The superintendent of the Austin charter school where he claimed to have taught said Vela never worked there.

More troubling is that the school board did not list it as a requirement for the job and did not interview any other candidate before giving Vela a three-year contract with a salary of $200,000.

The Texas Education Code needs to be amended and to include specific deadlines for the filing of waivers so school administrators cannot take advantage of legal loopholes to circumvent the intent of the law.

State law should also be modified to allow the identity of those filing complaints about school district operations to remain confidential. We can understand the hesitancy to accept anonymous complaints, but we also acknowledge those with valid concerns, whether a teacher, parent or taxpayer, may be reluctant to step forth if they know they will be publicly identified.

We support local control of public education and find it regrettable that the activities in one dysfunctional school district make it necessary to call for greater regulation. When faced with a superintendent and school board members who will flagrantly take advantage of the system to promote their agendas, state involvement is necessary.